Looking for facts in a sea of weird, misleading, confusing and downright false information? Ask here! I am an ex-Scientologist so I will be able to provide actual facts. I will give you straight information, not church PR.

Because of various problems with Blogger, I've copied everything as of November 26, 2012 over to WordPress. The new location is Ask the Scientologist. I am not deleting this blog and will still accept comments and answer questions here too, but any new articles will appear at the WordPress location. I apologize if this causes any problems.

Sunday, June 28, 2009

One of the most important images that the Church of Scientology tries, desperately, to create and sell to everyone is the image of having the exact, perfect answer to everything.

L. Ron Hubbard worked very hard to have that image. He was, according to himself, the master of every skill and every discipline in the whole world, heck, the whole universe! Scientologists will say exactly that if you ask them.

Hubbard had the final word to say about everything.

Not only do you have Narconon, Hubbard Study Technology, WISE, Criminon, The Way to Happiness and all that -- touted by the Church of Scientology (without any proof) as the solutions to the world's problems, but you have, well, everything else as well.

Hubbard wrote Policy Letters about pretty much everything. Like, for instance, he wrote a huge amount about "Public Relations". Yes, he wrote the exact science of public relations. Use this exact technology, he said, and you would have the best image possible.

And then reality rears its ugly head. It has a bad habit of doing just that.

Public relations. We have witnessed the magic of Hubbard's public relations tech before, but never so clearly as David Miscavige's recent response to the St. Petersburg Times exposé on Scientology.

He refused to be interviewed, putting the newspaper off week after week, even though the newspaper first requested an interview on May 15th, either in person or by phone.

He ordered a "mission" to be "fired" to St. Petersburg, consisting of nine "OT" Sea Org members, some of whom had been reported imprisoned in his Hemet compound in California. These people were supposed to go and "handle" the reporters.

The newspaper was given conditions -- the Sea Org "missionaires" would each read a two minute pre-written speech (undoubtedly written by David Miscavige himself) and there would be no questions permitted.

And these missionaires carried out their orders from Miscavige exactly. They gave their little prepared speeches and then, even as questions were being asked, they turned on their heels and left. Somehow, they didn't realize this would appear very, very strange. Somehow, they didn't realize this would make them look cultish and quite guilty.

Next, the church paraded the ex-spouses of the Scientology critics in front of the journalists, to smear the critics. And Miscavige thought this made the church look normal? He thought this was good public relations?

Then, per standard Scientology policies, they tried to get the journalists to accept the critics' confidential confessional material. This may have been their biggest mistake -- and it was pure, exact Scientology technology in action.

When the journalists didn't seem to be responding correctly to this magic Miscavige tech, the missionaires blocked the exit and started haranguing the journalists. You can bet that went over well.

Hubbard's flawless tech in action. Miscavige's brilliance in action. Real "OTs" in action. A church striving, desperately, to appear "normal", in action.

As usual, reality proved the unmaking of Scientology's image. If Hubbard was master of every skill and discipline, how could his technology have failed? If Miscavige is brilliant in all he does, how could his handling have failed? If the OT missionaires were truly at cause over matter, energy, space, time, life and thought, how could they have failed?

Like Scientology's Narconon, Criminon, WISE, Hubbard Study Tech, The Way to Happiness, this latest action by the Church of Scientology was an utter failure. And that further destroys the image that Miscavige so desperately wants to have.

It is important to look at the Church of Scientology's "solutions" in light of their consistent failures. This is the church that brags about their "effective solutions". This is the religion that boasts that it produces "Homo Novis", far beyond normal human beings. This is the religion that wants to tell you how to live your life.

Looked at in that light, their consistent failures are even more meaningful.

Instead of having the solution to the world's problems, it becomes very clear that the Church of Scientology and Miscavige can't even solve their own problems. That's the true image.-

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Just today, the St. Petersburg Times started their newest series on the Church of Scientology. This looks to be a very informative series of reports and I highly recommend it.

But I want to highlight the Church of Scientology's response. Their response is exactly the same response they always present -- it's all lies, these people weren't there, they are horrible people, blah, blah, blah. And the church presents "evidence" of how horrible they are ...

Hold on, don't go past this very key and revealing point!

Catholic priests have taken a lot of heat over the years because they will notever disclose what was said to them in confession. I'm sure that, sometimes, it has been very, very difficult for them to adhere to this principle -- but they do. Information from confessionals must be kept confidential and, against all external pressure, and maybe even against their own desires, they keep the information completely confidential.

And here we have the Church of Scientology. Time after time, when the church feels attacked, they can't wait to force a parishioner's confidential, secret and discreditable information on the press! The press doesn't want it. But the church forces it on them.

This action, repeated again and again by the Church of Scientology, under direct orders from their leader, David Miscavige, reveals the true nature of the church and the true reason the church keeps such careful written and even videoed records of all their member's "confessionals".

Blackmail.

Once you have "confessed" to a Church of Scientology "auditor" -- and they do insist that you do so, regularly and often -- you will be forever in their power.

Unlike a real religion, the Church of Scientology can and will use anything and everything you confess against you.-

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Anyone involved in bringing accused Scientology criminals to justice needs to know a few important things about the Church of Scientology and Scientologists.

Because of their "scripture", many Scientologists would perjure themselves, would destroy incriminating evidence, would manufacture evidence, would, in fact, do anything, including breaking the law, to protect their church. They would do so even when there is a chance that they would get caught.

Let me present a few facts so you can understand this.

First, you need to understand the Scientology view of the world. The world is separated into the Good and Bad People. The Bad People, according to L. Ron Hubbard, make up 20% of the population. Of those Bad People, exactly 2.5% of them are truly, deeply evil ("Suppressive Persons") and the other 17.5% are in agreement with and under the influence of the evil ones ("PTS" or "Potential Trouble Sources").

The remaining 80% are good, with Scientologists and the Church of Scientology being, by definition, Good. Note that, by their scripture, the Church of Scientology cannot ever be bad.

Of course, according to Scientology's scripture, attacking the Church of Scientology is a "suppressive act" and means that the attacker is a Suppressive Person and, therefore, an enemy of the church.

Consider these "High Crimes" as listed in Scientology's Introduction to Scientology Ethics by L. Ron Hubbard:

Public statements against Scientology or Scientologists ...

Testifying hostilely before state or public inquiries into Scientology to suppress it.

Bringing civil suit against any Scientology organization or Scientologist, including the nonpayment of bills or failure to refund ...

In addition, some indications of "being PTS" are:

PTS Type C; persons who have ever threatened to sue or embarrass or attack or have publicly attacked Scientology ...

PTS Type J; persons attempting to sit in judgment on Scientology.

Please note that none of this mentions or has anything to do with what is true and what is false. "Statements against Scientology or Scientologists", for instance, is a High Crime even when such statements are absolutely true!

This means that prosecutors, judges and witnesses against Scientology are, according to their scripture, Evil People. They are "sitting in judgment" or worse. They areenemies of the church.

Now for the important part of Scientology's scripture in this discussion. Anyone who is an enemy of the church may be, according to L. Ron Hubbard, "deprived of property or injured by any means by any Scientologist without any discipline of the Scientologist. May be tricked, sued or lied to or destroyed".

Key point: "May be tricked, sued or lied to ...".

And that is the key point that prosecutors and judges need to understand about the Church of Scientology and Scientologists. With this directive, Scientologists have full authorization (and some would even claim mandate) to destroy evidence, manufacture evidence and commit perjury in defending their church against all those suppressive prosecutors and judges.

The Church of Scientology and all Scientology True Believers are at war with the Evil People of the world -- and prosecutors, judges and witnesses against Scientology are Evil People.

Think I'm overstating this? The following is an exact quote from L. Ron Hubbard in a policy letter that all Scientologists are required to study at the beginning of every course:

We're not playing some minor game in Scientology. It isn't cute or something to do for lack of something better.

The whole agonized future of this planet, every Man, Woman and Child on it, and your own destiny for the next endless trillions of years depend on what you do here and now with and in Scientology.

L. Ron Hubbard

HCOPL 7 FEB 1965 Keeping Scientology Working

That's how important Scientology and the Church of Scientology is to its True Believers. Compared with that, how important is being truthful in a court of law?

Having a Scientologist swear to "tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help me God" is of little value. To a Scientology True Believer, such an oath has very little power compared to the dictates of L. Ron Hubbard and David Miscavige.

It may be hard for a religious person to understand how little God means to a Scientologist. According to Hubbard, the "Supreme Being" is only one of eight equally important "dynamics" -- God is not more important than, for instance, Groups or Self. And, according to the new interpretation by Miscavige, it is the Church of Scientology that ismost important by far. Yes, far more important than God or any other dynamic.

So any oath in court, to a Scientologist, does not have the power you might hope for. Do not expect any such oath to cause Scientology True Believers to actually tell the truth.

To be fair, some Scientologists probably would tell the truth, but they would be the minority. To the rest, the Church of Scientology is absolutely senior to anything else.

I will leave you, dear prosecutors and judges, with an opinion from L. Ron Hubbard on your justice system:

Police and courts offer an open-armed opportunity to the vicious and corrupt to establish themselves in a position of safety while satisfying their strange appetites of perverted viciousness toward their fellow man.

There is little thought of administering justice so that individuals can improve. There is every thought to punish and create misery.

Monday, June 15, 2009

To anyone who thinks they might look into Scientology, you might want to know a bit more about what you can expect.

I'm not talking about what services you might take or what you might learn, I'm talking about how your life will change when you step onto their "Bridge to Total Freedom".

When you become a Scientologist, you will be inundated with "communication" from the church.

This is the very first result of contacting the Church of Scientology. Once they have your name, your address, your phone number and your email address, you will never again be at peace.

Actually, you don't have to be a Scientologist at this point. This happens immediately, once they have your contact information.

They will hound you for money. They will pester you to come in "for service". They will badger you to buy the latest book set, lecture set or whatever. They will remind you of the next big Miscavige Event™ and "confirm you" -- at least a dozen times. If they believe you have enough money (or enough borrowing power), they will show up at your doorstep, unannounced, and won't leave without a check.

You will get their junk mail and their email spam as well. They will call you late at night, especially Wednesday night (because their week ends on Thursday and they must get their "stats" up).

You should know that getting them to stop all this is virtually impossible. You can ask, but it won't do you much good. People have changed their phone numbers and even moved to a different city, and the Church of Scientology has tracked them down and continued their deluge.

When you become a Scientologist, you will lose all your privacy.

And I do mean all.

The Church of Scientology will insist that you tell them everything: Who do you talk to? What do they say about L. Ron Hubbard, David Miscavige and Scientology? What do you read? Where do you go on the Internet? What do you say and think about Hubbard, Miscavige and Scientology.

The church will demand to know all about your finances. Do you have any credit cards? How much do you owe? What is your credit limit? Do you own your own home, and how much equity do you have? Exactly what do you spend your money on, and why? Do you have savings? Do you have investments? Do you have any rich relatives?

They will want to know about your job or business. They will want to know how you spend your free time.

When you get auditing (counselling/confessional), they will work very hard to uncover every "bad" thing you've ever done: Every time you hurt someone, every time you did something you'd rather never mention again, everything you wish no one would ever find out about. They keep careful notes. Often they video your sessions using carefully hidden cameras. This information about you will be kept permanently.

They will insist on knowing everything about you.

When you become a Scientologist, you will become isolated.

You should know that Scientologists are not allowed to read certain things, look at certain things, talk to certain people, and that this list of restricted items can be quite extensive.

You will learn, as a Scientologist, that the only safe people to be connected with are other Scientologists. You will learn that the only safe source for information is the Church of Scientology. You will, eventually, accept these connections as your only connections -- because they are safe and allowed.

Undoubtedly, like most Scientologists, you will eventually avoid newspapers, radio and TV news and the Internet.

Most of your non-Scientology family and friends will learn to keep quiet about what they know about Scientology. They will learn that you, as a Scientologist, get very upset when certain facts are discussed. They will learn to avoid the subject and be very polite when deflecting your attempts to get them into the church.

When you become a Scientologist, you will give up control of your life.

You will be expected to buy everything they offer for sale -- every book, every lecture set, every course, every step up The Bridge. Even after you have bought everything, you're not done. The books, lectures and courses are regularly being altered by Miscavige and, when that happens, you will be expected to buy everything all over again. The pressure to do this will be intense. There are reports of gangs of Scientologists being sent to the houses of any Scientologists who haven't bought the latest -- to ensure they do so.

You will be expected to use up all your available credit -- max out your credit cards, take out a second/third mortgage, cut all other spending -- so that you can adequately donate to the Church of Scientology's many, many "campaigns". There's the Ideal Org Campaign, the Library Donation Campaign, the various IAS (International Association of Scientologists) campaigns, the SuperPower building, CCHR (Citizens Commission on Human Rights), the Way to Happiness Campaign and who knows how many others.

You will be expected to be on course, in session or volunteering for the church at every available free moment. Goodbye hobbies. Goodbye vacations. Goodbye holidays, "hanging with friends" and quiet evenings at home. If you aren't busy every available free moment with Scientology-related activities expect intense pressure from the church until you are.

Worse, if the Church of Scientology finds out that any of your friends or family have said anything at all negative about Scientology, Hubbard or Miscavige, even if absolutely true, you will be required to disconnect from them. Yes, you will be required to disconnect from any of them, including your own children, your parents, your wife or husband! Whether you want to or not. Even if you don't find their comments upsetting at all.

The church says such disconnections are "voluntary". Well, if you don't do exactly what they demand, you will be declared an enemy of the church. There will be punishments. "Disconnection is voluntary," yeah, sure. If a "choice" comes with draconian penalties for the wrong choice, that isn't voluntary.Anyone thinking of looking into Scientology needs to know what they are getting into. If you start believing in Scientology, your life, as you know and enjoy it today, will be gone.-

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Recently, we've seen a big increase in the Church of Scientology's whining about "religious persecution". They claim that the recent legal actions against the Church of Scientology are "religious persecution", "the equivalent of a heresy trial" and "a witch hunt".

Oh really?

Do they really want to go down that path?

All these things, religious persecution, heresy trial or witch hunt, are attacks against a person or group's beliefs or religious activities.

But these legal actions are criminal proceedings. These trials and lawsuits are against (alleged) criminals. Laws were broken. People were harmed. How could this have anything to do with religious beliefs or religious practices?

Yet, the Church of Scientology insists that these are attacks against Scientology's religious practices.

What do they mean? What are they saying?

The Church of Scientology insists that these legal actions are religious persecution because these crimes are, indeed, part of their religion!

While it is well known that the "sacred scripture" from L. Ron Hubbard, does, indeed, call for crimes to be committed against people and organizations, this is, I believe, the first time the church has actually admitted it.

They cannot practice Scientology as created by Hubbard, and now mismanaged by David Miscavige, without breaking the law.

But, you see, in their universe, this is OK. They are "homo novis", far above mere homo sapiens (whom they call "wogs"). They are above wog laws. Miscavige really does believe himself to be above all laws, and he ensures those who follow his orders believe Scientology is above wog laws as well.

And they are shocked when some mere wog or some mere wog government dares to challenge their actions. They are bringing about a "Scientology World" and you had just better get out of the way.

These wog laws are mere annoyances to them, not something they have to actually pay much attention to. Many Scientologists will perjure themselves quite happily to protect Miscavige and the church.

Somebody some day will say "this is illegal." By then be sure the orgs [Scientology churches] say what is legal or not.

L. Ron Hubbard, HCOPL of 4 January 1966, "LRH Relationship to Orgs"

We can be very, very happy that the Church of Scientology is not and will never be in a position to say "what is legal or not".-

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

When looking at the way the Church of Scientology operates, it is important to compare it with how one would expect a normal, honest organization to operate.

We can get so lost in the Church of Scientology's justifications for each and every strange, unethical, illegal and convoluted action of theirs that we forget how very far from honest and normal the church is.

Take, for example, the way the Church of Scientology attempts to recruit new members.

What does a normal religion do? Why, they might get a listing in the local paper's Religion Section. They might put of one of those message signs in front of their church or temple, telling people when their services are. I've even occasionally seen a few mailings. That's normal.

What does the Church of Scientology do?

They pretend they have "the solution to illiteracy" and attempt to get their "Study Technology" into schools in a covert, stealth recruitment effort. They don't admit up front that this is Scientology. When their vaunted "Study Technology" is debunked by respected educators as pretty darn worthless, they ignore it and keep trying to fool schools into allowing them in -- in other words, it isn't really about improving education.

They pretend they have "the solution to drugs" and attempt to con people into going to their "Narconon Centers" in a covert, stealth recruitment effort. They don't admit up front that this is Scientology. When communities and families find out that Narconon's reported statistics are false, and their "solution" really fails most of the time, the Church of Scientology ignores it and keeps trying to fool the vulnerable and their families into coming to their Narconon Centers -- in other words, it isn't actually about handling drug problems.

They pretend they are "helping disaster victims" with their Volunteer Minister program. The church orders some Scientologists to act as Volunteer Ministers and sends them out every time there is a disaster, but without any medicine, without food, without supplies, without materials for shelter. Why do the Volunteer Ministers show up? They bring materials for dissemination and then attempt to start Scientology courses in a covert, stealth recruitment effort. When the real relief agencies expose their bogus actions the Church of Scientology ignores it and keeps showing up at disaster sites -- in other words, it isn't really about helping disaster victims.

They pretend to give "Stress Tests" at tables set up on public streets and in malls in a covert, stealth recruitment effort. They don't admit up front that they are Scientology, they have "Dianetics" signs on the tables. When these "stress tests" are exposed as meaningless sales tricks, they ignore it and keep setting up their little tables, hoping that someone will be fooled -- in other words, it isn't really about finding and handling real stress.

And so it goes.

Do you see the common thread here? All these actions are covert and stealthy actions. When debunked as worthless, these actions are always continued because they are actually recruitment efforts. The Church of Scientology is not open. It is not honest. And the church certainly is not normal.

Even before Scientology became the punchline for jokes, they operated this way. This isn't a recent phenomenon. David Miscavige has certainly made it worse, but L. Ron Hubbard specified these kinds of covert, stealthy recruitment actions in his policy letters many years ago. They have always hidden who they were and what they were really doing.

Why?

Well, back to that comparison of the Church of Scientology with what you'd expect from an honest and normal organization:

If a product is good and the organization behind it is honest, you don't need to trick people into trying it.

The fact that the Church of Scientology uses tricks, lies and covert, stealthy actions for recruitment says it all.-

Saturday, June 6, 2009

Would you buy something from a person who never answered your questions?

Scientologists will never answer your questions. Not ever. Their "answer" is that you should buy something, a book or a course (or both!), and that "will answer your questions".

Now why would you have to pay money to get your questions answered?

Well, you don't. That is, you do pay money but you don't get answers. It is highly unlikely that the books or courses will provide the information you wanted.

You see, that's just a sales gimmick. They just say "Your questions will be answered in this book, or on this course". It's a lie to close the sale, get your money, your name, your address and your phone number.

After you complete the books or courses and still have unanswered questions, well, buy another book, or course!

Would you buy something from a person who demanded you never look at critical reviews of their product?

Scientology insists that you only look at their information, their glowing descriptions of what they sell, never at any information that might have a differing view.

It is built into the dogma of Scientology: Scientology is good and anyone who says otherwise is evil. No non-Scientology information is allowed.

Well, keeping people from knowing other information might be "good salesmanship" but it isn't honest.

Would you buy something from a person who locked you in a room until you paid for something?

Believe it or not this actually is a common practice in the Church of Scientology. There are many, many stories (on those sites you're not supposed to go look at) that chronicle just that kind of "sales technique".

And, unfortunately, this often works. People will, in desperation, write a check just so they can get out of that room. Instead, they should call the police.

Would you buy something from a person who refused to provide any evidence of their claims for their product?

Scientology is big on claims, but completely lacking in any evidence. They claim Scientology will produce better communication, improved lives, better income, raised IQ, resolution of all sorts of problems -- on and on and on. But there is absolutely no evidence that any of their claims are true.

Oh, they have anecdotal stories from nameless people about all sorts of "good things", but thatisn't evidence. If Scientology could actually produce the fantastic gains they promise, it would be a walk in the park for them to provide actual evidence. If their results were true, they could prove them.

But they can't.

Would you buy something from a person if you knew they were specially trained in mind-control techniques?

Yes, the "Registrar" (salesman) you are talking to in a Church of Scientology is specially trained in various techniques to get you to buy. They will "ruin" you (make you very upset). They will manipulate your "Tone Level" (control your emotions). They will use other tricks they have been trained in to make you say yes.

They are trained to make you say yes when you really don't want to. They are trained to make you pay even when you can't afford to.

Would you buy something from a person who, when you explain that you didn't get what was promised, always said the solution was to buy more?

That is the sum total of the Scientology problem-resolution. When you don't receive the gains and abilities promised by Scientology (and you won't), their solution is never to give you your money back. Their solution is never to do whatever it takes to ensure you get what was promised -- at no further cost. Nope, that is never their solution.

The Church of Scientology's "solution" is for you to buy more -- another book, another course, more auditing. And when that doesn't deliver what was promised, why "buy even more!"

All Scientologists are on the endless treadmill of "your next level will handle that!"

Would you buy something from someone who offered a product that was too good to be true?

When a Scientologist is selling you Scientology, they will promise that Scientology will handle any problem you have, give you any abilities you desire and will make you rich. Yes, they will promise you anything -- but certainly not in writing -- to get you to buy Scientology.

Doesn't that ring any alarm bells for you?

It's just another sales gimmick. No matter what you want, they are trained to answer "Scientology can help you with that!" Scientology can't do that, but the trick often gets a person to buy.

Do not check your good sense at the door when you talk to a Scientology sales person. When they try to sell you something, look at it like any other expensive purchase. If you look at it that way, you will see Scientology for what it really is.-

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Frequency of articles

I know a number of people want me to write more frequently and I consider that a great compliment.

I would, but I refuse to write just for the sake of writing. I want to have something to say that is worthwhile. I've written a lot and, too often, when I'm researching something I want to say, I find I've already said it, sometimes several times.

When I started this blog, there was a lot of confusion and bad information which I intended to help clear up. I think I did that. Now there are many very fine blogs and other sources of factual information and excellent opinions. Often, when I'm researching something, I find that others have already covered it quite well.